Women’s Institute Advisory Board

She has also published poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Her book AMERICAN REFUGE: True Stories of the Refugee Experience, published by Steerforth Press in 2022, was selected by the North Carolina Humanities as a North Carolina 2024 Reads Book. In 2015, inspired by Pope Francis’ call on every European parish to host one refugee family, Dr. Abdo founded Every Campus A Refuge (ECAR), which advocates for housing refugee families on college and university campus grounds and supporting them in their resettlement.

Dr. Abdo is the recipient of the Emerson Collective Fellowship (2024), the J.M. Kaplan Fund’s Innovation Prize (2021), and several higher education and community engagement awards. Dr. Abdo sits on the Advisory Board of the Community Sponsorship Hub. She lives in Greensboro, N.C., with her partner and two daughters. 

Dr. Altpeter is trained in social work, gerontology and public administration. Recently retired, she was a Research Scientist at the Thurston Arthritis Research Center at UNC-Chapel Hill. Dr. Altpeter has over 40 years of experience working with national, state and community partners to design, implement and evaluate health promotion programs for middle-aged adults and older adults. She has published extensively in the arthritis and aging fields and has received several awards for her publications. 
Dr. Altpeter has taught for the European Union, the Pan American Health Organization, US AID and the Soros Foundation, and has made more than 150 national and international conference presentations.  She is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and received the Southern Gerontological Society’s 2012 Gordon Streib Academic Gerontologist Award and the 2013 North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services Dr. Ewald W. Busse Award for her leadership in improving the quality of health care for older North Carolinians.

Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Alpeter helped to design and test the Arthritis Foundation’s Walk With Ease (WWE) program. WWE is a low-impact, six-week program that can be helpful in this time of COVID-19 when people are looking to be physically active in their home environment. WWE has been shown to: reduce the pain and discomfort of arthritis; increase balance, strength and walking pace; build confidence in one’s ability to be physically active; and improve overall health. 

Although WWE was originally created for people with Arthritis and/or joint pain or stiffness, it is also beneficial for those who don’t have arthritis but have been sedentary and want to learn to exercise safely and comfortably. To learn more about WWE and sign up, go to: www.WalkWithArthritis.org. You’ll receive a free Guidebook by mail if you complete a very short survey. Once you’re enrolled, you’ll also receive weekly emails that share tips and techniques to help support your walking and symptom management. (If you don’t want to enroll in the program, you can purchase the Guidebook at: https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Ease-Arthritis-Foundation/dp/0912423056).

In her role as a founding member of the Women’s Institute Advisory Board, she writes, “I believe that establishing a Women’s Institute at Russell Sage will continue the historical commitment to the feminist orientation of the women’s college while creating timely opportunities to explore women’s roles and social inclusiveness within contemporary contexts, both domestically and abroad. I hope to assist the Institute in becoming a widely recognized center of scholarship and locus of public outreach and programming available globally.” 

Ann Duffield spent over 26 years at the University of Pennsylvania from 1973-2000. From 1973-1980, she worked in public relations and communications at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering, a publications coordinator for the University’s central publications office, and finally an editor of the alumni magazine and director of communications for The Wharton School.

In 1980 Ann directed Penn’s Office of Publications and in 1982 she became an Associate Vice President with responsibility for the Office of University Relations and Penn Medical Center’s Office of Communications. During this period, Ann led the development of one of the first major admissions marketing programs in the country, which among other identity highlights, adopted the University’s nickname, “PENN,” and focused on its status as America’s first university. This evolved into the University-wide identity program Penn continues to use today.

Ann formed in 1988 a small internal marketing group, called the

University Design Group, to design and produce the University’s major outreach communications, including Penn’s 250^th Anniversary and its Billion Dollar Campaign, “Keeping Franklin’s Promise.” She served on university-wide planning, fundraising, marketing, and management committees. At that time she also joined forces with her long-term colleague, Professor Robert Zemsky, Penn’s Chief Planning Officer and Director of the Institute for Research on Higher Education (IRHE), and designed the communications plan for the Penn Plan, one of the first university-backed student loan programs in the country.

Her partnership with Professor Zemsky evolved into her full-time participation as Associate Vice President and Director of Communications of IRHE. In this position she developed the national and international communications program for the Pew Higher Education Roundtable, funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts and later by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. She also directed the Pew Higher Education On-Campus Roundtable and The Knight Collaborative which provided strategic planning roundtables and collaborative projects for more than one hundred colleges and universities across the country.

As a senior member of IRHE, she worked from 1990-2000 with the American Council on Education (ACE) to coordinate an international roundtable series, called the Transatlantic Dialogue, and with the Association of Governing Boards (AGB) to develop joint programs with boards. As part of the Institute’s development of and research involvement in two national centers set up by the Department of Education, she was communications director for EQW (the National Center for the Educational Quality of the Workforce) and NCPI (the National Center for Postsecondary Improvement). As such, she worked with research faculty from Penn, the University of Michigan, Cornell University, Stanford University, and Williams College.

In 2000, Ann joined the national fundraising consulting firm of Marts & Lundy, to set up and head a new practice in communications and planning. This opportunity    enabled her to continue working in higher education and to expand her knowledge through exposure with other types of nonprofit organizations, such as the National Geographic, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Public Radio International (PRI), and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

In 2005, Ann established with a colleague from Penn the Presidential Practice and in 2011, set up her own practice, Ann Duffield & Colleagues (ADAC). ADAC was a solo practice that drew upon the expertise of individuals Ann worked closely with during her years at Penn: Robert Zemsky from Penn, Richard Kneedler, President Emeritus of Franklin & Marshall College and Interim President of Rockford University, Robert Glidden, President Emeritus of Ohio University and California Polytechnic University, and other researchers, faculty members, and former presidents. ADAC provided confidential and comprehensive counsel to presidents and chancellors, provosts and deans, senior officers, faculty leaders, and boards of trustees. ADAC was particularly interested in helping liberal arts colleges and public universities overcome the challenges that continue to plague American higher education.

Ann worked as a consultant for Russell Sage College in Troy and Albany, New York from 2008 until 2014 when she became a member of Sage’s Board of Trustees. After her final term as a board member, the Board named her a trustee emerita, and she joined the Advisory Board of Russell Sage College’s Women’s Institute.

In 2018, Ann co-authored with Robert Zemsky and Gregory Wegner Making Sense of the College Curriculum: Faculty Stories of Change, Conflict, and Accommodation. This book, published by Rutgers University Press, resulted from research funded by the Teagle Foundation, which enabled the authors and a team of interviewers to compile stories from 187 faculty members at eleven public and private colleges and universities from across the United States.

Ann grew up in Omaha, Nebraska where she graduated from the Brownell-Talbot School. She received her BA from Chatham College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and was a graduate teaching assistant in English at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Her recently deceased husband, Timothy, was an acclaimed British sculptor, printmaker, and landscape architect. Ann lives in West Chester, PA and has three sons and three grandchildren.

Donna taught grade school in the Louisiana bayou and high school and junior college in the New Orleans suburbs. She became one of the top 20 salespeople with a national cosmetics company.  Donna then founded Free Lighting Corp., and under her leadership, it become the largest energy conservation contractor of its kind in the U.S.

After selling Free Lighting Corp. in 2001, she began to work on behalf of dozens of organizations and causes as a volunteer and philanthropist. The Newcomb Women’s Institute at Tulane University, arts and cultural institutions in New York City, and international projects promoting education and health care for women are all beneficiaries of Donna’s involvement. 

The greatest beneficiary of Donna’s generosity, by far, has been The Sage Colleges.

As a member of The Sage Colleges Board of Trustees from 2015 until 2017, and chair between 2008 and 2014, she guided Sage through a presidential transition and strategic initiatives in academics, athletics, marketing and fundraising. 

Donna chaired the $60 million Centennial Campaign for Sage, positioning the campaign to become the most successful fundraising effort in Sage’s history. Her over $10 million leadership gift to the campaign –– the largest gift to Sage, ever –– has provided ongoing support for the School of Education, facilities renovations and the endowment. 

Her gifts have funded science resources on Sage’s Troy and Albany campuses; business incubator space on the Russell Sage College campus in Troy; and Celebration, a beloved sculpture that captures the spirit of Russell Sage College students, and is installed at the Shea Learning Center in Troy. She endowed the Edith E. Robinson Memorial Scholarship Fund for Education students in memory of her mother, and made significant contributions to the English, Visual Arts, Creative & Performing Arts and Management programs as well as to the Department of Athletics.

Most recently, Donna and her husband, Rich, have committed funds to support an Assistant Director of Enrollment for Veteran Recruitment and a strong veteran student organization, initiatives that will positively affect enrollment and campus life at Sage. 

The Esteves School of Education and Esteves Science Hall on the Albany campus are named in her honor. In 2015, the Russell Sage College Alumnae Association bestowed its highest honor, the Doris L. Crockett Medal, on Donna, in recognition of her career achievement and service to the college. In 2016, The Sage Colleges awarded her an honorary doctorate in Public Service in recognition of her achievements as an educator, entrepreneur and philanthropist. 

Donna has been an inspiration to the entire Sage community. She will bring her deep love for Sage, a wealth of institutional knowledge about the college, and a passion to empower women to her honorary advisory capacity on the board.

Nicolé later earned her Master’s in Health Education (SGS ’96) and her teaching certificate, working in public education for almost 10 years. She then ventured into a new career working for the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO). She started out in a customer support role while learning the operational and market-related aspects of the energy industry. Once there was an opportunity to become a technical training instructor with the organization she took it. In her most recent role, she oversees leadership programming and other professional development initiatives. She also proudly serves on the Women in NYISO – WIN Board of Directors.

Her career spans more than 25 years, most of which has been spent developing and implementing learning programs. She believes many of her Sage experiences, including involvement in Student Government, Rally Day, and The Sagettes, have all contributed to her success.

She is passionate about relationship health and identity development. She has published and instructed in the areas of vocational psychology and counselor training. She specializes in the treatment of trauma, relationship issues, low self-esteem and anxiety. She utilizes a feminist approach in both her scholarship and her clinical work. She has been the Chair of the Interprofessional Education Committee at RSC for 5 years and is dedicated to building connections with other allied health professionals.

Alicia likes to say that her career path has been winding, leading her down many different paths before arriving at psychology. She holds a PhD in Counseling Psychology from Ball State University, an MS in Counseling from San Francisco State University, an MEd in TESOL from Temple University, and a BS in Japanese and International Trade from Eastern Michigan University.

Jen brings more than 20 years of higher education experience at various institutions and business schools: Indiana University, Arizona State, American University, and Ohio University. Jen is a global speaker, published author, and researcher of women leaders in higher education. She also serves as an MBA career consultant at the University of Cambridge in the U.K. and regularly speaks, trains, and consults for universities.

She earned a BA in Communications at Purdue University, an MS in Counseling, and an Ed.D. at the University of Pennsylvania in Higher Education Management.

Favorite Quote: “When will there be enough women on the court? When there are nine.” –RBG

Throughout this process, she has collaborated with attorneys and renowned architects, developers and designers to identify floor plans, assess pricing for new and converted projects and evaluate target markets. Her vision, efficient budgeting, and keen direction of marketing plans aided in achieving maximum sellout results for her clients.

In 2006, Ms. Wright brought her cumulative years of experience to Marlboro Group International (MGI) where she has combined her knowledge of business, building, marketing, finance and technology with all facets of value-based, solution-focused completion of projects. Her leadership ability and strategic business planning and market development proficiency has led her to taking the helm as MGI’s President in 2009.

Susan holds a BS degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Spanish from Russell Sage College, and has taken additional MBA and Real Estate courses at Union College and New York University. She supports a number of philanthropic organizations, and has completed her LEED credentials. Ms. Wright has also obtained the distinguished Women’s Business Enterprise National Council Certification (WBENC) for MGI. This certification affirms the business is woman-owned, operated and controlled. In 2017, Susan received the Women of Influence award from the Russell Sage Alumnae Association.

Susan resides in New York City with her husband, Richard, and has five children and two grandchildren.